1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a space truss system and, more particularly, the invention relates to a space truss system providing a cost effective building system, usable for foundations, floors, walls, and roofs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Where large spans occur, lightweight steel trusses cart be combined into a folded slab arrangement to cover a roof area. Joining the ridges and the bottom chords produces a more efficient structure due to the fact that it is now spanning two directions and supported at four points.
Space frames are not always economical to construct doe to the fact that much material is required and they tend to be expensive and difficult to maintain. They can be economical in situations where there is a long span and a flat roof with minimum required support. Space frames may also have a pitch or arch element introduced to them.
The space frame acts in a similar manner to the triangulated plane frame except for the fact that the space frame acts in three dimensional manner. Space frames have other uses, towers and tail masts are usually built as space frames due to the fact that they can not be easily constructed in another way. It is worth mentioning that the domestic pitched roof is also a space frame.